Point Ruston & Ruston Way Waterfront – Fun Day Trip for Families

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Point Ruston – Fun Day Trip for Families

If you are looking for a fun day out with the family, or as a couple, the Point Ruston waterfront area offers so much to do. The Ruston Way Waterwalk is a nearly one mile long paved pathway along the waterfront that connects many fun areas around here. You will find people walking, jogging, bike riding and on skateboards and scooters in this area. While there is plenty to do right in the Grand Plaza area, you can also easily get to the Point Defiance park, Owen Beach, the Public Market and more. In addition to the area offering plenty to do for a day trip, there are also hotels in the immediate area if you want to turn it into an overnight stay too.

Point Ruston is one stop along this adventure, and we will share lots of things to do at Point Ruston, as well as throughout the entire Ruston Way Waterwalk. If you use Point Ruston as your starting spot you will find access to easy parking, restaurants, shops and many adventures that are fun for families – and all in walking distances.

Part of the Waterfront Walk!

What You Will find at the Grand Plaza & Point Ruston Village

The main area at Point Ruston is the Village area and grand plaza/ These are great areas to start your exploring, as it is full of things to do. There are plenty of parking spots, including a paid parking garage area. You can park your car and walk to these spots nearby.

There are restaurants and shops to explore in this immediate area. My kids never miss a stop in at Ice Cream Social when we visit (their ice cream is delicious). Here are some of the other things we enjoy in this area too.

Bike Rentals at Wheel Fun

You can bring your own bikes, or rent some of these fun options to ride along the Waterwalk. You can rent everything from the Surreys for groups, to Tandems, Choppers and Electric bikes, so a little something for everyone. Prices start at as low as $13/hr for the Cruiser bikes.

For a new adventure – try the Surrey Night Bikes. They are all lit up, and would be a really fun way to take bike rides to a new level. They start up in May, and would be perfect for summer nights especially!

Want a deal? You can get a 2nd hour free on rentals before noon. Grab the coupon here (you will need to show full page on your phone or printed out).

Ruston Point Playground

The Ruston Point playground is not huge, but it has a really fun ferry theme, and sits in the middle of all of these other fun things listed here. Let kids climb on this fun ferry themed structure that sits waterfront, right in front of the plaza area. It is worth the time to visit, as you can take them to enjoy so many other things in the immediate area too.

Spray Park in the Summer Months

During the summer months, the spray park is the perfect stop with kids. There is bench seating around to keep an eye on them. Plus, there are beautiful waterviews as the backdrop and access to everything else the area has to offer. Bring a towel to let the kids dry off afterwards if you want to head on to do other activities.

Chutes and Ladders Slides

The Chutes and Ladders Slides go down the hillside near Point Defiance marina, and are a short walk over the Wilson Way bridge towards the Point Defiance area, at the Dune Peninsula park. This is one of the more unique parks in our area, and if you have kids who like slides, this is a must visit. Moms and dads can slide too (I have), My kids like to bring a sweatshirt or blanket to slide on, to make the slides a little faster.

Plus, you will find beautiful views of the water as well as mountains too. These are technically part of the Point Defiance park area, but it is such an easy walk from Point Ruston that is is very easy to visit these from there, and you would have to continue on to get over to the other park areas, so we included it here.

Catch a Movie at the Point Ruston Theater / Century Point Ruston and XD

If you are looking for some indoor fun to either cool off from the heat, or avoid the rain, the Point Ruston Theater is a good option. This is a luxury theater with reclining loungers to sit in. It is a very popular theater in this area, so best to reserve your tickets online ahead of time. Plus they offer $5.50 tickets on Tuesdays!

Escape Hour

Escape Hour is advertised as Tacoma’s Most Immersive and Engaging Escape Experiences. I have not been to this location personally, but if you  are looking for some indoor activities, escape rooms are always fun!

Visit the Point Ruston Farmers Market

I often like to pop into the Point Ruston Market just to see what vendors are currently selling items. They are currently advertising 47 vendors at this time. Find things like locally made gifts, freshly cut flowers, specialty foods and more. 

You can find a full listing of the shops and restaurants at Point Ruston here.

Lots More To Do Nearby

The paved trails that wind around the waterfront at Point Ruston will also take you over to the Point Defiance area, with lots more to do just a short walk away! We have seen deer up in the grass along this pathway on more than one occassion, so keep an eye out for them.

Here are some more ideas of things we like to do when moving beyond Point Ruston.

Explore Point Defiance Park & Gardens

Point Defiance Park is actually quite large (approximately 5 miles of trails to walk or drive). You can find a map of the park here to plan the parts you want to visit. Some highlights we love include:

• There are a handful of gardens that you can explore at Point Defiance Park. Find a Japanese Garden at Point Defiance Park, rose garden, rhododendron garden and more in this area.
• Enjoy the trails for some hiking.
• Attend one of their many free events.

The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium as well as Owen beach are also big draws in the area, so we will cover them seperately below. I have walked with my kids to both these spots, but it is a longer walk (maybe a 30 minute walk). So if you are with younger kids, you may want to drive between locations.

Owen Beach

Rent a kayak and paddle into Commencement Bay, or spend the day lounging on the beach and swimming in the sound here. It is a popular south sound beach, and you can spend as much or as little time here are you want during your visit. Some people make it a full days adventure. I usually bring towels and snacks and enjoy as part of a bigger day visiting many of the things we have listed here.

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium

If you love a great zoo or aquarium, this is one of the biggest in Washington. I do love that you can visit the zoo and aquarium all in one place. We have a full review of the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium here with lots more info.

Take a Ferry Ride to Vashon Island

Right below the Chutes and Ladders slides is the ferry terminal to Vashon Island. If you love ferries, just slide on down to this termial to catch a boat!

Fort Nisqually 

If you are visiting this area with kids, Fort Nisqually is a fun one to build into a visit. You may want to drive over here though, if you plan to visit. It is a living history museum, and can be a particluar good fit if you are visiting with younger kids (I would say pre-school to elementary) or kids who enjoy history.

Point Ruston Restaurants

We almost always stop for a bite to eat, or some ice cream when we make a trip out. Here are some of our favorite Point Ruston restaurants and eateries. Also note that there are many more restaurants you can access if you want to drive a few minutes or bike or walk further down the Ruston Way waterfront, but these are some spots you will find right in the Point Ruston village area.

• Ice Cream Social Ruston – My kids almost never skip a stop here when we are in the area, they love their ice cream.
• Farrellis Pizza
• Anthem Coffee & Tea
• Wild Fin American Grille
• Stack 571 Burger & Whiskey Bar
• Copper & Salt Northwest Kitchen
• Bo Ran Royal Thai

There are a number of other waterfront dining options throughout the 2 mile walk of the Ruston Way Waterfront. You will find many favorites like Dukes and the Lobster House, as well as family friendly options like the Ram.

 

Silver Cloud Point Ruston

Where to Stay at Point Ruston

Silver Cloud Point Ruston is right down in the middle of it all, and is the spot I would stay if I was heading their with my family.

Not only is the location perfect, but it has a roof top pool and fire place to enjoy as well as some pretty decent rates. It is a fun idea for a staycation in general, if you are looking for something like that too.

If you want to explore just beyond the Ruston Way Waterfront area….

Foss Waterway Seaport is just a short drive away too. Plan your visit for when the Lady Washington boat is in port, and you can enjoy a trip on that too!